All For Love
by BloodyRedBubbles
Summary: Catching fire, from the whipping scene til the end, with multiple twists, including a different rule and location for the Quarter Quell
1. The Sacrifice

***I do not own or have any rights to anything associated with the Hunger Games series

*From Catching Fire

I am talking to Katniss. She wants me to run away with her! And Gale's not coming! I am so happy I can't even speak. All of a sudden, we hear yelling coming from the square. "What…what's going on?" Katniss asks nervously. "I don't know…" I say. But I have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach.

We run to the square. The crowd is large and loud, so we step onto a crate to see what is going on. Gale's wrists are bound to a post. He is shirtless. I see a man in the head-Peacekeepers uniform. But it's not Cray. Only then did I notice a dead turkey nailed by the neck on the post above Gale, who is on his knees. The new head Peacekeeper begins to speak.

"This man killed a wild turkey. He may not have entered the woods, but killing any wild animal as game for food is a horrific crime and the criminal will be punished in a severe manner." The Peacekeeper picked up a vicious looking whip. "His sentence is fifty lashes."

"No…" Katniss whispers…"No…I love you, Gale…" she whispers so low I almost don't hear. My heart is torn in that moment. She doesn't love me. She loves Gale. She wants him, and to see him hurt will kill her inside. There is only one thing I can do for this girl, the girl I love. I won't make her suffer this. I jump off of the crate and push through the crowd. Just as Thread, the new head Peacekeeper raises the whip, I grab the arm that possesses the whip. "No!" I yell. Everyone becomes silent. I swallow hard before I utter the next words. "I'll take the whipping for him." I know seeing me whipped will hurt Katniss much less than seeing it happen to Gale. Thread stares hard at me. "If you take the beating for him, ten lashes will be added to the punishment." he says. "I don't care. I'll take it." I say boldly. But fear is running through my mind. How bad will it hurt? How much will I bleed? How severe is a whipping of sixty lashes?

Thread walks over to the post and unties a surprise-stricken Gale. He puts on his jacket and picks up his torn shirt and walks over to Katniss, who is now in the front of the crowd, tears running from her eyes. "Jacket off!" Thread demands. I slowly take off my jacket and drop it to the ground. He leads me over to the post and pushes me down on my knees. He ties each of my wrists to the post with rough rope. My shirt is ripped from my torso. The cold winter feels harsh against my bare body. "Sixty lashes." Thread says. And then I hear a swish in the air and brace myself.


	2. The Whipping

The whip comes down hard on my bare back. The pain is agonizing. It feels like my back is on fire. I feel blood running from where whip made contact with my flesh. That has to be the worst, right? The first lash must always feel the worst. Just as I finish that thought, the second lash cuts into my back. I am wrong. It only gets worse.

I do not cried out in my pain, but merely grunt as each lash cuts my back and draws my blood. I look over to the side. Katniss is crying into Gale's shoulder as he watches with a look I cannot figure out. I hate seeing Katniss cry. It kills me inside to see her in this pain. Just then the twelfth lash strikes my back and I finally break and cry out in the agonizing pain that covers my back from shoulders to hips.

By lash number 20, I am straining so hard against the ropes holding my wrists that they begin to bleed. My teeth are clenched, anticipating the next strike of pain. The next lash cuts muscle along with the flesh. I cry out in this new pain I can't even describe. I feel like that lash should have been the death of me, it hurt so bad. But I am not so lucky. I'm not even close to unconscious.

Lash number 35 comes, and the pain is starting to fade. My cries lessen. 37, 38, 39, and then the darkness hits.

I am awakened to freezing water pouring over my head. "You need to feel every lash of this punishment." Thread states simply. 40 hits and in my new awakened sense I struggle to stay silent, but grunts still escape. Twice more water is dumped on me to keep me conscious. 48, 49, 50…only 10 left to go. But the next lash doesn't come.

I look over my torn and bleeding shoulder. Thread is holding a new whip. It has 9 lashes instead of 1. Are my last 10 actually going to be inflicted with a cat-o-nine? The first slash of it gives me my agonizing answer. 9 cuts form in my already broken and bleeding flesh. I cry out, I cannot hold this in. 9 more times I am lashed with this terrible whip. Finally the 60th lash is inflicted. I am passing out again and water is poured on me. So i won't stop feeling the pain even though the official punishment is over.

My back feels like it's been burnt to the bone, the pain is indescribable. Threads walks away as Katniss and Gale run over and untie my wrists.


	3. Explanations

Sorry it took so long. Here's the next chapter.

I lay on the ground. My back is in agonizing pain, like it's been burned to the bone. I feel warm blood, despite the cold winter air. Soon Katniss and Gale come over with a long board that looks very similar to a counter shop from the hob. They are careful as they lift me onto the board, but still a moan of pain escapes my lips. I hear Haymitch's voice, "We need to get him to your mother, Katniss. She's the best healer in District 12." I close my eyes, hoping that unconsciousness will take me. But the freezing water that has been poured on me prevents the mercy of sleep.

Soon we are at Katniss's house. "New head." says Haymitch. Apparently no other explanation is needed. I am gently, yet still painfully transferred onto a table. Hopefully I will not be moved again anytime soon. Katniss's mother begins washing my back with herbal water. It stings the broken flesh and muscle of my back and again I can't help but moan at the agonizing pain. "So what exactly is the story, here? How did Peeta of all people manage to earn himself a trip to the post?" asks Haymitch . Gale takes the liberty of answering that question. "I was the one who earned the whipping. I was caught with a wild turkey, and was arrested and taken to the square. It was a new head, so I was in big trouble for having the turkey. I was tied to the pole already, and they had bared my back. I was about to get the first lash when Peeta pushed through and offered to take the whipping for me, even though Thread, the new head, told him that he would get an additional ten for taking my place. He still took it, though. And very bravely at that. Only cried out once."

Katniss sits on a stool and takes my hand in hers. "He was very brave to make that sacrifice." she whispers to everyone, though I know those words are meant for me. She keeps her eyes locked on mine. Could that possibly be love in her eyes? A sharp pain in my back makes me remember. No, she loves Gale…that's why I took the whipping. She just cares about me as a friend. And inside, the breaking of my heart hurts more than any whipping ever could…

Soon, everyone goes home or up to bed. Only Katniss and Gale are left. It's been ordered that someone has to watch over me constantly. "Go on to bed, Katniss. I'll take care of him." says Gale. After a few moments of what I know is hesitation, she goes to her room, leaving me and Gale alone. And that's when the inevitable question is asked. "Why? Why did you do it?"

I knew he would ask this. And so would I if the situation was reversed. I have to decide. Do I tell him the truth, or do I lie? Reluctantly, I decide to be honest. "Because Katniss loves you." I say. He just stares at me for a minute… "But what does that have to do with you taking my whipping? And how would you know how she feels about me anyways?" Now I have to go into detail? I don't even want to think about this, let alone talk about it, especially with Gale. But I answer. "Gale, when she saw you tied to that post, she started crying. And I heard her whisper that she loves you. I know I wasn't supposed to hear it, but I did. And I thought it through. What if it was Katniss tied to that pole, about to get beaten? I would give anything for someone to make the sacrifice of taking the beating for her. I knew it would hurt her less if she saw me whipped instead of you." His eyes are wide. "You love Katniss?" I roll my eyes. "I took a whipping to save her heartbreak, Gale. That should be a good enough answer." "I'm sorry, Peeta." he says. "This must really be horrible. But what you did…it was very brave. And even though you only did it for Katniss, I am still very grateful."

I can't talk anymore. It's too much. Finally the pain in my back subsides enough that I can go to sleep. And then I enter unconsciousness, where my back is unmarked, where Katniss doesn't love Gale…where everything is perfect.


	4. Pain of the Body, Pain of the Heart

I wake up to a cool sensation on my back. Must be snow-coat "It's lucky we have snow." says Ms. Everdeen

"What did you do in warm months?" asks Katniss curiously

"Tried to keep the flies away"

I am so disguisted by this thought, and I become very grateful that even though I am definitely suffering, at least my healing will go smoothly. With this new head Peacekeeper, I know others will eventually not be so lucky. The whippings will continue, but the snow will melt away. I look back slightly to see Prim helping her mother put more snow-coat on the torn flesh of my back. She always seemed like a little girl to me, but her skills in healing let me know she is more than what meets the eye. Just barely thirteen years old, and not only can she handle seeing the sick and wounded on her own kitchen table, but she helps them to heal. If I saw what my back looked like right now, I'd probably be sick at the sight, well, that would have been the case had it not been for the Games.

Katniss is rarely around. I think she might be mad at me…but why can that be? Now Gale comes in the door. Great, some awkwardness to go with solemn mood around here. "How is he doing?" asks Gale. "I'm fine" I reply to let him know I can hear him, because he obviously thought I was unconscious. "Oh, snow-coat…will that heal his wounds quicker?" he asks curiously. "Not really," replies Ms. Everdeen. Great, so it's gonna be a nice slow process. She continues "It's mainly to lessen the pain. The coolness of the snow helps with the burning of the wounds. So as he heals for a couple of days we can use this…but in two or three days, his wounds will need air to heal. It will be fairly painful from there, but he should be up and about in around two weeks." Gale doesn't respond. But the look of guilt says it all. Because he knows had it not been for me, he'd be the one about to endure two painful weeks of healing.

I start thinking in my head about my family. My parents haven't even come to visit. Do they even know what happened? Eh, my mom won't care, it just saves her the time of pounding on me anyways. But my father…why hasn't he come? "Do they know?" I ask. Ms. Everdeen looks at me. "Who?" It's hard for me to even say. "My parents." and that's when it happens. "They know…look, I'll just be honest with you. Your mom claims that apparently you've had this coming to you for years because of wasting bread by constantly burning it and ruining decorations on cakes when you were younger. Your father wanted to come…but she won't let him. And she says to keep you here until every last wound is completely healed. Otherwise…" She starts choking up… "otherwise you're just, to put it in her words, 'damaged goods'."

I'm not really hurt or surprised. My mother has never been the loving sort of person. And besides, it's better that I stay here. Better to heal here with a professional than at home with the woman who would probably just ignore me until I was able to work again.

Katniss walks back in sighing in relief. "Thank goodness you covered it." she says. I look at her curiously. "Your back." she says answering the questioning look in my eyes. "I can't stand to see all of those gashes…especially on you." she says. Gale's face drops slightly, but he instantly recomposes himself before she can notice. "When will I be allowed to stand up?" I ask. "Whenever you feel up to it." says Ms. Everdeen. I wanna get away from everyone, so I ask for the snow-coat to be removed. Prim And her mother reluctantly remove the cool snow from my back, which seems to instantly burn again. I start shifting my body, attempting to sit up. Oh God, this hurts! I slowly inch my way off of the table. I stand there, the pain intensifying with every movement. I take one step, then two, and then the pain takes over and I fall to the ground, barely catching myself with my hands before hitting the floor, but this cause my shoulders to suffer a great deal. Panicked, everyone rushes to put me back on the table again. "I want to wait 5 days before you try that again." says Ms. Everdeen. The pain in my back forces me to agree that waiting is best. Soon she and Prim go to bed, exhausted from being my personal healers all day, leaving me alone with Katniss and Gale. Katniss has tears in her eyes. I can tell she got a terrible fright when I fell. "I'm ok." I say, holding her hand in mine. "It's ok, I'm not hurt.", though that's a lie. "I know what you did, Peeta." she says. Gale must've told her. She smiles at me in such a caring way that I get lost in her eyes. Then her voice drops to a whisper. "Thank you."

Thank you. Thank you. A part of me died in those words. A fact I already knew was reinforced when she said that. She appreciated what I did, taking Gale's place. She's glad I did it. She's glad that he didn't suffer a single stroke while I got sixty. She would rather see me with sixty bloody lash marks on my back than him with fifty. I almost feel angry at this. Did part of me actually think that if I did this, then she would love me instead? That if I took a whipping for the man she loved, then her love would shift to me in my suffering? If I truly was thinking that, then I was dead wrong. Part of me is so mad at Katniss. Maybe I was wrong to take his place. Maybe I should've let Gale get fifty lashes of the whip upon his back. I mean, he committed the crime, not me. But now I remember why I did it. For her to see Gale whipped would be the same as me seeing her whipped. I would volunteer in a second to take her place, but I know if she ever got punished in such a terrible way, part of me would die with every lash. I would be so broken. Broken in a way no one deserves. Katniss doesn't deserve that either.

It's been a few days. According to Ms. Everdeen I am healing well and will be better with about 11 days. I try getting up again, this time, with help, I manage to walk outside. Katniss and I carefully walk to the town square. My shirt hurts with every contact it makes with my back, but I ignore it. I'm just glad to be out and about again, though I can barely walk a step on my own. And there, in the town square, it's like a living hell in our little district. One person is receiving a whipping, every stroke making me feel the pain in my back more acutely. Two people are in the stocks. One is headed to the gallows. and there are about seven other people awaiting punishment. Thread's takeover has become a living horror. Things we forgot were illegal we are now being punished for, and severely at that. Who knew that my whipping was only the beginning of Thread's reign of terror. "I can't watch this. Let's go back." I say, wincing as I hear the crack indicating another stroke of the whip. But a sight stops me. Because I know one of the people in the stocks, and I point it out to Katniss.

It's Prim


	5. Decisions and Conversations

I don't understand! Prim…in the stocks…what could she have possibly done? She's a sweet innocent girl! The look on Katniss' face scares me. It's the same look she had when she got herself thrown into the arena. I know i must say something. "Katniss, don't do anything stupid. You might make things worse." She seems to calm down. She runs to her sister. "Prim, Prim what happened?" she asks urgently, crying. Prim looks scared, but also determined. It seems like she's trying to be brave for Katniss.

"We needed medicine…we needed certain herbs.." she looks over at me, "We needed ingredients for some herbal medicines for his wounds to heal them faster." she looks back to Katniss. "They were beyond district boundaries…but I know you cross all the time." She whispers that last part so low it's barely audible, but it scares me. Katniss is risking a beating, if not that, then death…Prim goes on. "I was outside the fence picking the herbs when all of a sudden The new Head walks over, gets through the fence, grabs and arrests me, and brings me back in. He threw me in the stocks. I'm sentenced to two weeks. No food or water." I know the look on my face is the same as Katniss', because it only takes a second to know what is to come. Two weeks, and she'll dehydrate. Two weeks, and she starves. Two weeks…and she's dead. Katniss runs to Thread. I sincerely hope she doesn't get herself punished as well. I walk slowly over to where they are. Katniss is pleading with him…

"Please, sir, is there anything else, can I take her place?"

"New policy on that. I've decided that was a one time thing." he looks to me. "I've decided criminals must face their own punishments."

"Please, two weeks will kill her! Is there anything else you can do that will allow her to live?"

"There is…one thing. Maybe we could come to a compromise, let's say, 2 lashes for every year of her life." We both calculate in our heads. 26 lashes. Prim being so young and thin, there's no way she'll survive that. "Could we please reduce that by ten, please?" begs Katniss, trying not to let tears fall in front of Thread.

"Fine." he states. "Sixteen lashes. She can choose the stocks for two weeks, or the whipping." And we walk over to her, Katniss helping me to walk. I notice Katniss is looking at my back, even though it's covered. I know she's imagining my wounds on her little sister. But that is better than death.

We finally make it over to Prim. Thread looks down on her. "Everdeen, you have a choice. Stay in these stocks for two weeks without food and water…or take sixteen lashes. The choice is yours." He steps back to let us talk. She has tears threatening to escape her eyes. I see Katniss doesn't want to talk. She looks at me for me to explain. "Prim, you're 13. You're old enough to know that two weeks in here without food and water…you'll die. It'll be slow and painful. A whipping…sixteen lashes won't kill you, Prim, and it'll be over in only a couple of minutes." She looks at me. "How much does it hurt?" she asks. "I'm not gonna lie to you, Prim. It hurts a lot. But it'll be over before you know it." "I've seen the gashes…the ones the whip made on your back…they look really bad…I'm scared to-"

Thread comes back, cutting her off. "Tell me your decision." I look at her, praying she'll take the whipping. "I…I'll take the lashes." she says. Immediately she is taken from the stocks to the post. Forced on her knees, back of her shirt ripped open, moved over her shoulders to bare them as well. Katniss is crying freely seeing this. Prim's braid is placed in front of her shoulder so it won't interfere. Prim looks and mouths at me to come so she can talk to me. Painfully I get to her level. "Is Katniss crying?" she asks. I nod. "Then I'll make sure not to cry out." she states bravely. But I know personally that that is much easier said than done. I slowly stand back up. Thread now has the whip. But it's not the regular whip; it's the cat-o-nine that was used for my final ten. I multiply in my head. 16 lashes with this, she'll end up with…no…oh God, the total comes to 144. She'll have 144 wounds when this is over! Katniss looks over and sees the dreaded whip. She puts her hands over her mouth and I hear her whispering repeatedly "no…no…no…" The whip is raised and brought down. Prim makes no sound as the whip makes contact with her skin, cutting her in 9 places. There's already blood. Katniss cries into my shoulder and I bury my face in hers, unable to watch small innocent Prim get this flogging.

…

15…16. And finally it's over. "Katniss, go home. I'll bring her over." She looks at me. "Peeta, you can barely walk. She's my sister. I'll do it." And we look at Prim for the first time since lash number one. Her back is a mess. Now I'm really glad I haven't seen mine, which I know is ten times worse. Katniss unties Prim, who stayed true to her word and never cried out or screamed, but is silently crying. Katniss carries Prim under her neck and knees, careful not to touch any wounded flesh.

We get back to Katniss' house slowly. We walk in. By her expression, Ms. Everdeen obviously doesn't know what happened. We explain what happened as she places her own daughter on the table to clean her wounds. At each touch, Prim moans in pain.

"Now I know it's starting over…" says Ms. Everdeen, tearing up at the sight of her whipped daughgter. "Before Cray, newly whipped people were brought to me daily. Thread also seems to enjoy using the lash." she says. I certainly agree. "They were also executing people, and had others in the stocks too." I say. "Oh Lord…" whispers Ms. Everdeen. And I know we're all thinking the same thing. If they can have a thirteen year old make the choice of a brutal whipping or 2 weeks in the stocks that will surely kill her, then no one in District 12 is safe from the new cruelties that have come upon us with Thread's presence.

2 weeks have passed. I'm pretty mobile again. Today I looked in the mirror. My wounds are all in different stages of healing. My back is a mass of red. Prim also seems recovered, but she refuses to leave the house. I don't blame her, either. She doesn't talk much, or leave her room except for to help the sick and wounded, but if they were whipped, then she can't stay in the room. I think it makes her re-live her experience.

Katniss has been absent. I really hope she hasn't been going to the woods with Gale…for two obvious reasons: one, because if they are caught, she'll be whipped, or more likely, killed. And two, because I don't like the idea of her being around Gale. But I know she needs him to help her. Her little sister is her world. She proved that last year when she volunteered to take her sister's place at the reaping and went into the Hunger Games to save her life. I know the very idea of her sister even having a minor bruise breaks her heart. But this is a whole new level. And I fear that Gale will pull her further into his ideas of hating government. We all know he wants to fight, because he hates the Games with a passion. And with this incident, she'll be more hateful. If they attempt rebellion…they'll be executed immediately.

I stop thinking about that. I can't imagine Katniss being executed. All I know is that she is my world, and Gale is her world, and if he rebels, he'll most likely use this to make her rebel with him. Katniss walks in the door. There's stale, burnt bread in her hands. "Found it in the trash. All there is to eat." she says. Prim comes down and eats the bread silently. It's like that whipping broke more than just her flesh…it's like it broke her spirit. She is having to grow up entirely too fast in the cruel country of Panem.

The next day Katniss goes to leave the house again. "I wanna come." I state simply. She rejects me and walks out. I wait and then I creep out of the house. I must know what she's doing. I go and I find Her and Gale in a corner in the hob between two empty shops. I get in close enough to hear, but still be invisible. I hear Gale speak:

"They are becoming absolutely insane. And the Quarter Quell is coming…another chance at cruelty."

"Gale, there's nothing we can do…"

"They whipped your little sister, and you can't tell me you weren't upset when they whipped Peeta."

"Yes, I was very upset when they whipped Peeta, When they nearly whipped you, when they had mysister choose lashes or death at only thirteen. But rebelling will only get us both killed."

"Well, I'm willing to risk it." he says.

"No, Gale, you know how much I care about you…I love you. and if you love me you won't do this."

"Without rebellion, we have no chance of overthrowing the Capitol, and if the Capitol isn't overthrown, then we can never have a happy life together, never have children because I will never have children who will be forced into the reaping. We can't have a life together with the Capitol running our lives."

I walk away. I can't listen anymore. I know she'll eventually give in. I walk back to the house, but it's not her house; it's mine.


	6. the Reaping

It's the morning of the Reaping. The 75th annual Hunger Games…this means another Quarter Quell. I fear what the rule will be this year, but I don't have time to get too concerned about that. I go over to Katniss' house. Prim is sitting still and silent. Katniss watches her with sad eyes. "You about ready to go to the Reaping?" I ask.

"Yeah, just a second." replies Katniss. Prim stands up and follows us out the door, followed by their mother. We all arrive. I follow Katniss, who, to my disappointment, walks over to Gale immediately and hugs him.

We must separate by our genders and I watch as Katniss walks away, holding Prim's hand. Unlike last year, Prim isn't crying, shows no sign of emotion whatsoever. It was all whipped out of her. A woman from the Capitol steps onto the slightly bloodstained stage and clears her throat into the microphone to silence the crowd of District 12 civilians.

"Welcome, welcome!" she begins. "And welcome to the District Twelve Reaping for the annual Hunger Games, and our 3rd ever Quarter Quell! And may the odds be ever in your favor!"

Silence continues in the darkness of the event while she smiles brightly on stage.

"This year's Quarter Quell rule is quite…fun! This year, as our special rule, the tributes will be chosen from a pool of previous victors!"

Oh no, Katniss is the only female victor ever from our district! She has to go back into the arena! I have to get back in! I have to be picked. I'll volunteer if Haymitch is chosen. I have no choice, I must protect Katniss. The woman continues speaking.

"Along with that, each tribute must bring, if they have any, a sibling as another tribute!"

No! They can't. Katniss and Prim both? I look over. Katniss is crying, hugging Prim, who's expression is blank. Every sacrifice till now has been useless: Katniss volunteering for Prim last year, having her whipped instead of starved to death, because this is the Hunger Games, no one will volunteer for her this time. Prim is going to die.

"Let's pick our tributes, shall we? As usual, ladies first!" the woman says. She moves her hand around in the bowl as if there is more than one name in there, but we all know there isn't. "Katniss Everdeen!" Katniss walks up on the stage. "And she has only one sibling, so no difficulty in having to choose!" She looks at the paper. "Primrose Everdeen!" And almost robotically, Prim walks up on stage next to Katniss.

"Now for the gentlemen!" She moves her hand around and reads the paper. "Haymi-"

"I volunteer!" I yell loudly. Haymitch glances at me angrily. I look at Katniss, then back to him, eyes pleading, hoping he understands. He nods, letting me know he does. "Alright, Peeta Mellark. Being an only child, I guess you are the only male tribute for District Twelve this year! Let's give a round of applause for our tributes." No one applauds, just point out their arms and put up their first three fingers in a salute to us.

We are lead away and put in separate rooms. My parents don't come, but Gale does.

"Peeta, I know that after that whipping I have no right to ask anything of you…but I'm going to anyways."

"What?" I ask

"Keep Katniss and Prim safe."

"Only one can live, Gale. I'll do my best to keep them both alive as long as possible, but in the end, one of them will have to die."

Gale nods and is taken by the guards. I sit down slowly, the worst of the wounds on my back still healing. That will probably slow me down in the arena. Same with Prim. Soon the guards come back in and take me to the train, where I meet back with Prim and Katniss, and we head off for the Capitol for preparations…prepare for the Games.


	7. Tributes

Like last year, we are served delicious food unheard of in District 12. We eat to our fill, except Prim, who eats merely one bite and then excuses herself. Katniss follows, then me. We walk to Prim's room and open the door. Her dress is unzipped in the back and xshe's examining her back in the tall mirror and crying. I don't blame her. It looks terrible. It's a scabbed over and red. Katniss runs over and just lets Prim cry into her shoulder. "It still hurts…" Prim says. I immediately go and get some cool water and a washcloth and head back to the room. "Lay down on the bed." I say kindly. I lay the cool cloth on her back and she seems relieved. She begins to speak, and we listen carefully, having barely heard her voice since the punishment.

"I have nightmares…every night. I relive it in my dreams, the pain of it. And I feel bad about complaining of my pain when Peeta's is probably a thousand times worse. I feel…weak. I'll never win the games…I'll probably be one of the first to die." Tears stream down her rosy cheeks. Katniss strokes her sister's hair and gives her a kiss on the forehead and cries with her. I leave and let them have some time together. Only one comes out. Either Katniss or Prim will have to die. If Katniss dies, Prim may go into complete silence forever, judging by how she has been since the whipping, or Prim will die, and Katniss…poor Katniss would never be the same. But only one comes out. I don't know who to protect. All I know is that I will make sure one of them gets out of that arena alive.

I enter my room and lie down on my stomach on my bed. My wounds are still greatly recovering, walking is still fairly painful. I know that's not going to be a real advantage in the Games. I go to sleep thinking of how I'll be able to stay alive long enough to ensure either Prim or Katniss lives. I only have one option;

I'll have to kill, with brutality and with the attitude of a cold-blooded murderer.

The next day we make it to the Capitol. We go to the twelfth floor. A room has been added because of the additional tribute. We barely have time to settle in before we are instantly taken away by our stylists in order to be dressed for the parade tonight. Last year, Cinna's idea went over very well, pleasing the crowd greatly, and giving Katniss the name of "The Girl On Fire". This year, Cinna did a great job. Flames are included in the costume, yet again, and it was a black and red jumpsuit that shines with small red rhinestones to give us a "spark".

Soon we all gathered together. Katniss and Prim were wearing outfits identical to mine, both wearing the pinned up braid learned by the stylists from Katniss and Prim's mother. Soon we all three got on the float. "Don't smile, or even look at the crowd" said Haymitch, who was, yet again, our mentor. "Just let them know that this year, you are all still united, all three of you." and he staggers away, drunk as usual.

We get on our float and wait for districts one through eleven tom get through, which takes a while. Soon, we begin to enter the main aisle between the crown, which I ignore as instructed. Prim grabs Katniss' hand, and Katniss grabs mine, and like last year, we lift them up. District twelve is again the center of attention.

Once we get to the front, President Snow begins to speak. "Ladies and gentlemen, let's please welcome our tributes to the 75th annual Hunger Games and the 3rd Quarter Quell!" the crowd cheers. It's disguisting how joyful and excited they get about kids murdering each other.

I ignore his speech and before I know it we're heading back to the hotel. I go straight to my room and get ready for some sleep, preparing what I'll do tomorrow and thinking of Prim going in for that interview. Tomorrow will be interesting, I am sure of that.


	8. The Interviews

Sorry for the insanely long delay. A bad review made me doubt the entire story, but enough people have been asking me to update, and so I am updating. I was also on a month-long vacation out of state where I couldn't write, but I'm back and got all my ideas straightened out. Hope this is worth the wait…

I wake up the next morning ready for the interview. That was my strong point last year. I don't know why, but I can just come to life in the interview, I become brave, because I know I might be dead soon, and part of my survival depends on getting sponsors.

There are 47 tributes this year, with so many having siblings, especially from the first few districts. Every single tribute with a sibling vow to protect their sibling to the end, gaining much admiration from the crowd watching us, some vowing to murder each and every tribute. One older man from District Three vows to kill with his bare hands, and by the looks of Him, I don't doubt that he can and will do so. Now it is my turn to get on stage.

"Let's all give a warm welcome to Peeta Mellark of District Twelve!" Caesar says warmly in excitement. The crowd cheers as I walk onto the stage. I shake Caesar's hand and sit down, forcing a smile on my face, same as last year.

"So, Peeta, how have you and your girl been doing?" Caesar asks, leaning in a bit towards me.

"Quite well, we are very much in love."

"So it must be hard, being in the arena with her again this year."

"Yes, it is."

"So you had no sibling to bring to the games?"

"No, thankfully I am alone, except for Katniss."

"Well," says Caesar, "We are out of time, Best of luck to you."

"Thank you."

Now it's Prim's turn. She walks on stage like a robot, no expression, not a glimpse of emotion. I want her to smile, please the crowd. It's degrading, but also could be the difference between life and death.

"So," says Caesar, "you are the sister of the Girl On Fire."

"Yes." Prim says blankly

"How does it feel to be here after scraping your way out last year?"

"I didn't scrape my way out. I never wanted my sister to do that for me." Prim says coldly.

"Oh dear, sorry if I offended you. So what is your plan for the games?"

And Prim's answer made my blood run cold

"My plan is to kill everyone until I win these games."

She left the stage and now it was Katniss' turn. She looked shocked as she walked on the screen where the rest of us were.

"So, finally I get to see The Girl On Fire yet again." says Caesar truly happy.

"Yes, here I am." Katniss says."

"What do you think of your sister's last response?"

"Good…I want her to win."

"What about yourself?"

"I'll protect her until the end."

The crowd "awes" in sympathy

"And what about Peeta?"

"Protect him as well, though he is pretty smart and can take care of himself."

Her interview is over and we go back to the hotel.

It's about midnight. Tomorrow we enter the arena. I go onto the roof and Prim is there sitting.

"Hello Prim." I say kindly

"Don't talk to me." she replies.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to be friends. Because if it comes down to it…I'll have to kill you, and I don't wanna get to know the guy I might end up trying to murder…though you'd probably kill me first."

I silently leave. I never expected Prim to be so cold. I hoped her response was for show but apparently not. She is prepared to kill anyone and everyone. And that includes her own sister. I punch my wall in anger. I was whipped too, but I don't plan to kill either one of them in my bitterness. I didn't shut the world away! How could Prim become this over a beating?! There's only one thing I can do to protect Katniss:

I have to make sure Prim gets killed by someone else before Prim kills her.


End file.
